Lockable heel lift arrangement



Oct. 2, 1962 P. J. THOLANDER LOCKABLE HEEL LIFT ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 22, 1961 5 v 1 4 M TA E 1 1 a;

INVENTOR -lCI F 1 PER. JORGEN THOLANDER United States Patent 3,056,217 LOCKABLE HEEL LIFT ARRANGEMENT Per Jot-gen Tholander, Mosseveien 241, Lian, Norway Filed Aug. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 133,187 Claims priority, application Norway July 9, 1958 6 Claims. (Cl. 3642) This invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to heel arrangements of the type wherein are employed detachable heel lifts. This application is a continuationin-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 780,785 filed Dec. 16, 1958, now abandoned.

Various attempts have been made to provide footwear constructions wherein are employed detachable heel lifts, and it is conventional to provide a heel structure with a bore which accommodates a dowel connected to a heel lift. Most known constructions, however, are difiicult to manufacture and, moreover, result in structures wherein the heel lift is difficult to detach.

If rotation of a heel lift is to be prevented with respect to the associated heel structure, it is possible to employ dowels which are not circular for accommodation in bores having cross-sections which are also not circular. Providing bores and dowels with other than circular crosssections is, however, an undesirable procedure.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved structure wherein a heel lift may be detachably afiixed to a heel structure in such a manner as to avoid rotational displacement therebetween.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a detachable heel lift structure wherein a detaching operation may (be eifected with ease.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved detachable heel lift structure which can be fabricated with mass production techniques in order to minimize costs.

In achieving the above and other of its objectives, the invention contemplates the provision of a heel lift to which is aflixed a generally circular dowel which is adapted to be accommodated in a vertical bore of a heel structure. In accordance with the invention, a fiat spring is mounted on the dowel in such a manner that it cuts into the heel structure within the associated bore, and thereby rotational displacement of the dowel in the bore is prevented.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the flat spring may be provided with lateral cutting edges such as edges provided with barbs or edges sufficiently sharp to cut into the heel structure to prevent a ready withdrawal of the heel lift structure from the associated bore.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the flat spring is attached to the dowel in a manner which does not impede manufacture and which is simple and economical.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the dowel merges with the associated body along a smooth curve, to which configuration the fiat spring is attached.

Other objects and features of the invention, as well as advantages thereof, will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates in sectional view the heel structure of a high-heeled shoe, the heel lift indicated in phantom lines being detached therefrom;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the heel structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a heel lift structure adapted to be operatively associated with the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2;

'FIGURE 4 is a top view of the structure of FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 shows the heel structure with the heel lift structure operatively engaged therewith;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of a modification of an element of the structure shown in FIGS. 1-6;

FIGURE 8 is a top view of the modification shown in FIG. 7;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view along line IX--IX of FIG. 7; and

FIGURE 10 is a side view of the modified element.

In FIG. 1 is illustrated a conventional heel spike which depends from an associated shoe (not shown). The heel spike or heel structure may consist of a lower portion Id of aluminum or the like, and an. upper portion 12 of Wood or the like, the portions 10 and 12 being integrated by conventional bonding techniques.

In the lower portion 10 is provided a blind bore 14 which, in accordance with preferred practice, is of circular configuration. The bore 14 is adapted to accommodate the dowel of a heel lift structure, as will next be indicated.

FIGS. 3, 4- .and 6 represent a heel lift structure provided in accordance with the invention. This structure comprises a heel lift 16 to which is connected an upright or vertically extending dowel 18. A fillet 20 is provided so that the dowel 18 merges with the body 16 along a curve, whereby optimum structural strength is provided.

Dowel 18 may be integral with or separate from the lift 16. In any event, it is rigidly affixed to the lift 16 so that its position controls that of said lift. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these two components of the heel lift structure may be integrally fabricated from nylon. It is to be noted that the cross-section of the dowel 18 is circular and that the dowel has a diameter which is slightly less than that of the bore 14 (FIG. 1).

The upper extremity of the dowel 18 is provided with a notch 22, the function of which is to accommodate a hook-shaped extremity 24 of a fiat spring 26, which is preferably of a metal such as spring steel or the like. Notch 22 is of substantial inclination in order to prevent detaching of extremity 24 from dowel 18. It is to be noted that the lower extremity 28 of the spring has a smoothly curved configuration which closely approaches the shape of the fillet 20.

In accordance with this embodiment of the invention spring 26 is provided with a lateral cutting edge having barbs 29 in order to provide a ratchet-like means enabling a ready insertion of the heel pad structure into bore 14, while resisting the extraction thereof. The effectiveness of the barbs 29 may be controlled with a conventional tool, as will hereinafter be indicated in greater detail.

For assembling the heel lift structure with the heel structure proper, as indicated in FIG. 5, the dowel 18 and spring 26 are simply inserted in the bore 14. Spring 26 flattens against dowel 18 and the increase in the length of the spring is accommodated by movement of lower extremity 28 against the top of lift 16. Notch 22 is of substantial inclination in order to prevent. detaching of extremity 24 from dowel 18. As indicated in FIG. 5 the Width of spring 26 is such that it digs or cuts into the lower portion 10, as indicated at 30. In other words, the spring 26 cuts corners into the bore 14. The result of this is that the dowel 18 becomes immovable in a retational sense in the bore 14, as well as in an axial sense. Accordingly, it is seen that the spring 26 performs the function of aflixing the heel pad structure rigidly with respect to the heel structure proper.

In order to detach the heel pad for replacement or other purposes, a tool such as a screwdriver is urged between the heel pad and the heel structure proper, and is worked 3 in along the spring 26. The spring is then urged against the dowel 18, as most clearly visualized from FIG. 6, and the barbs 29 withdrawn from portion so that the heel lift can be readily withdrawn.

A modification of spring 26 is shown in FIGS. 7-10 in the form of a spring 31 which has the same relative position in the overall structure 'as has spring 26 in FIGS. l6.

The spring 31 comprises a lower extremity 32, a hooksha'ped extremity 33, and an upright section 34 connecting said extremities.

In contrast to the spring 26, spring 31 is provided with cutting edges 35 and 36 which are not provided with barbs. This is considered a more economical method of forming the connecting element. Manufacture on a large scale has shown that, although not quite as secure as the connecting element with the barbs, this modified connecting element provides a sufficiently secure attachment when made so that the lateral edges cut into the heel as do the barbs in the prior embodiment. This adequate securing function is ascribed to the fact that when the spring is jammed into the bore, it cuts into the heel with its lateral cutting edges and maintains its position relative to the heel by friction.

As best seen in FIG. 9, upright section 34 is preferably arched in order to support the cutting edges in position to cut into the associated heel.

As in the prior embodiment the cutting edges and the spring are of a material which is harder than that of the heel so that the spring is adapted to cut into the heel.

Moreover, it will be appreciated that the cutting edges 35 and 36 and the barbs 29 are all forms of lateral cutting edges intended to bite into the heel.

In summary, the invention provides an improved construction accomplishing all of the above-noted objectives, which structure may be fabricated with ease at minimum cost.

There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications and variations of the structure set forth. These modifications and variations will not, however, depart from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe arrangement comprising a heel provided with a circular bore, a heel lift, a dowel integral with said lift and accommodated in said bore for connecting said lift to said heel, and a leaf spring coupled to said dowel and extending therealong, said leaf spring including barbs cutting into said heel within the bore to prevent rotation of the dowel therein and to prevent ready removal of said dowel from said bore, said heel being of a material softer than the barbs of said spring whereby said spring is adapted to cut into said heel.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lift and dowel merge smoothly together along a curve,

said spring extending in part along said lift and conforming to said curve,

3. A shoe arrangement comprising a heel provided with a circular bore, a heel lift, a dowel integral with said lift and accommodated in said bore for connecting said lift to said heel, and a leaf spring coupled to said dowel and extending therealong, said leaf spring including lateral cutting edges cutting into said heel within the bore to prevent rotation of the dowel therein and to prevent ready removal of said dowel from said bore, said heel being of a material softer than the lateral cutting edges of said 1slprilng whereby said edges are adapted to cut into said 4. A shoe arrangement comprising a heel provided with a bore, a heel lift, a dowel integral with said lift and accommodated in said bore for connecting said lift to said heel, said dowel including an upper extremity provided with a notch, and a leaf spring coupled to said dowel and extending therealong, said leaf spring including lateral cutting edges cutting into said heel within the bore to prevent rotation of the dowel therein and to prevent ready removal of said dowel from said bore, said heel being of a material softer than said spring whereby said edges are adapted to cut into said heel, said spring further including a hook-shaped section engaging in said notch to hold the spring on said dowel.

5. A shoe arrangement comprising a heel provided with a bore, a heel lift, a dowel connected with said lift and accommodated in said bore for connecting said lift to said heel, and a leaf spring coupled to said dowel and extending therealong, said leaf spring including lateral edges cutting into said heel within the bore to prevent rotation of the dowel therein and preventing removal of said dowel from said bore, said heel being of a material softer than said spring whereby said spring is adapted to cut into said heel.

6. A shoe arrangement comprising a heel provided with a bore, a heel lift, a dowel on said lift and accommodated in said bore for connecting said lift to said heel, and a leaf spring coupled to said dowel and extending therealong, said leaf spring including lateral edges cutting into said heel within the bore to prevent rotation of the dowel therein and to prevent ready removal of said dowel from said bore, said heel being of a material softer than said spring whereby said spring is adapted to cut into said heel, said spring including a lower extremity extending between said lift and heel and a hooked shaped upper extremity engaging said dowel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

